Sessional_Paper_1887-1888 — Page 395

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Water closets are not unknown; they exist in the hotels, some of the Clubs, the Gaol, the Civil Hospital, Government House, and the Government Offices. The last four mentioned are directly under the control of Government, and from their presence there and from the fact of the recent reconstruction of the last mentioned, it is an anxious question whether or not it is the intention of the Government to continue the construc- tion of such, or to condemn the erection of water closets in the Colony generally. The Commissioners would recommend that either one or other system be adopted, and they would strongly urge the practice of removing night soil by the pail system. At the same time they would draw attention to the fact that the withholding night soil from the sewers does not do away with the necessity for pipe sewers. They would recommend the general adoption of pipe-sewers in addition to sub-soil and surface drainage.

The petitioners have specified various grievances under paragraphs A, B, C, D, which come under the class of nuisances. The members of the Commission consider that these are fairly stated and require to be attended to.

Under paragraph A are two distinct grievances:-1. As to the squatters village. To demand the immediate removal of many families from house and home, without providing ample accommodation, is but to spread the evil to other localities; so that while urging upon the Government to deal with the question, and recommending attention to this question from a sanitary point of view, the members of the Commis- sion advise that either their present state be improved or that some more fitting place be provided for them.

The manufactory of Soy in close proximity to and in the midst of a densely populated district demands instant legislation.

As regards paragraph B the Commission are of opinion that the existing legisla- tion is sufficient, and advise that the Sanitary Board exercise more strict control over the same.

The same applies to paragraphs C and D. In regard to the burning of rubbish the Commissioners are given to understand that the burning complained of has ceased.

THE DISPOSAL OF THE DEAD.

So involved is this question with custom and religion that the Commissioners can only suggest what is sanitary in contradistinction to what may at the same time be expedient. The present places of burial, for Europeans, Chinese and other residents, are gradually being encroached upon (some of the older grave yards are in fact already within the confines of the suburbs), and with the rapid spread of the city it seems likely that a serious sanitary question will in time arise.

The effluvia complained of by some of the petitioners as arising from the Chinese cemetery on the Pokfulam road is ascribed to the method adopted by the Chinese of laying the coffin in the ground. When the grave is dug according to present regula- tions, the end of the coffin, that towards the hill, is deep enough to be sanitary, but the end nearer the surface is so sparsely covered, that the earth gets washed off by heavy rains, and the coffin in a good many instances is exposed. Hence no doubt arises the effluvia complained of and the remedy at once suggests itself, viz., that, when a hill side is chosen as a burial ground, not only the end of the grave next the hill be made suffi- ciently deep, but that the end of the coffin next the surface be amply covered.

In the Public Health Ordinance the Commissioners observe with satisfaction that provision is made for 300 cubic feet of air to each dweller in Chinese houses. They consider this the minimum and that any attempt at thwarting the Authorities in the application of this measure be severely dealt with. At the same time they would re- commend that perforated bricks be introduced in the walls of all apartments.

The steady increase of the city of Victoria in regard to numbers, is no doubt a com- mercial gain and a subject for gratification, but from a sanitary point of view the in-